


Florescene

by jumponthechandelier



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Ficlet Collection, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Reader-Insert, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2020-05-02 05:10:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19192456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jumponthechandelier/pseuds/jumponthechandelier
Summary: flo·res·cence/flôˈresns,fləˈresns/nounthe process of flowering.Even among the widest of gardens, with the brightest of suns, there are those flowers who will only blossom for the moon.





	1. Ipomoea - Moon Flower

He remembers when he first saw you.

In this form, at least.

You were standing upon one of the peaks overlooking the Great Maw of a mangled Radiant Garden, back turned to him and a chained whip pooled at your feet. A foreign energy crackled off the looped metal, blood from your injured arm dripping down to the hand that gripped the rod like a vice.

Your voice was raspy and tired when you spoke, never bothering to spare a glance back.

“Those monsters of yours are a pain in the ass, you know.”

“Then you shouldn’t meddle in their affairs.”

Saix’s quip caused you to fully turn to face him, your weapon clinking and dragging the dirt ground dangerously as you did so.

He was glad that in that moment he had his hood to obscure his face.

With hair blowing in the wind, eyes sharp and steady as they scanned his figure, and a mouth so down turned in a scowl that he himself was ever-so slightly taken aback…

Saix knew, in that very moment, that he had just been pulled into nothing short of a perilous affair.

What an alluring creature you were.


	2. Evening Primrose

The Great Maw, with it’s jagged ground and stirring Heartless, stared up at you from your perch upon one of its upper crests. All while the sun had barely finished rising, you made haste of the ones who had chosen to wander. The Claymore’s could only do so much, after all.

What once was your home had become a barren wasteland, beautiful gardens and cozy stone homes were reduced to rubble because of dark affairs. You sneered at the source of it all, the place where monsters poured out without refrain and sickly experiments had taken place.

That damn castle.

Shifting air sent a chill up your spine, your whip unfurling just as another monster crawled up from the ground.

But this one, this one was... _different_.

A large, dark figure that had taken an appearance akin to the devil floated just a few feet away. Keen yellow eyes accompanied a fanged face, while small wings that faded to white spanned off of its arms. Its large tail swished back and forth as it brandished a blue sword.

A Heartless, notable by its symbol that was carved into its chest, but one of a much higher tier than what you were used to dealing with. The thought had a shiver running up your spine.

It held no hesitation in darting after you, the sudden movement having you dive to the side just to avoid a swipe.

“Shit…!”

You threw your whip in its direction, satisfied as the chains wrapped around the blade with ease. With a heavy tug you disarmed it, the weapon shattering into dark wisps as you quickly smacked it against a nearby rock face.

Not quick enough, however.

It warped in front of you like lightning, a clawed hand reaching out to grab you by the throat so effortlessly you had no time to dodge it. Panicking, your whip fell down to the ground as your hands did their best to try and break its hold. The Heartless pulled its free hand back, claws ready to dig out the heart that its very existence craved.

Your eyes closed in anticipation of your demise, legs no longer kicking out in an attempt to fight.

The beast suddenly let go, sending your limp body to the ground with a crash. Immediately you reached out to grab your abandoned weapon, limbs aching as you let out a hiss of frustration at how long it took for you stand. Vision still off-kilter from the impact, you blinked in confusion at the scene before you, energy crackling weakly around your chains as you became too distracted to will it.

One of the strangers in black was battling the Heartless with ease, swipe after swipe of a large yellow and blue bladed weapon landing each intended blow. With one final cut they sent the monster back to the darkness from whence it came.

They turned to face your off-balance form, weapon dragging the ground as they did so. You growled, grasping at enough adrenaline to summon forth your magic once more.

“It’s like you enjoy being reckless.”

You eased only slightly at the smooth, familiar voice. The same man had appeared before you just a few days prior.

“I have a job to do, regardless of the risks.”

Letting out a low hum at your response, he dispelled his weapon. Reaching up he slid his hood off, continuing to speak even as he watched the mixed emotions that flashed across your features. “I suppose we have that in common, then.”

Long blue hair framed a sharp face that was marked with a deep scar in the shape of an _X_. The scar extended just slightly past amused yellow eyes, such a color causing your face to contort in confusion.

You couldn’t help how meek your voice sounded when you finally acknowledged the ghost of the man who had rescued you all those years ago.

  
“ _Isa?_ ”


	3. Datura

_Fists slammed desperately upon thick glass, oxygen bubbles rising in foreign water as your shouts dissipated into nearly nothing._

_“Help me. **Help me!** ” _

_You scratched at the various IVs and monitors that had been attached to your form, eyes wide as you watched flames pour in from the lab’s door. You had to get out, **you had to get out**. You ripped needles out of your veins, hearing the nearby monitors screeching in protest at your actions. _

_A flash of blue hair and a white coat gave you an indication that you weren’t alone. The man, who you had seen only through blurs of your rarely awakened state, pushed through the chaotic space to type frantically on the systems computer. His green eyes were looking between the encroaching flames and your trapped form, coughs racking his lungs from the smoke._

_With a frustrated growl he slammed his fist onto the keys, turning to look at your entrapped form with a look of...worry, perhaps?_

_Speculated worry quickly turned to surprise as the containment pod that withheld you began to spark in protest, small cracks beginning to form in the glass. With the assistance of a swift kick of your foot it shattered, expelling both you and the water from it in seconds. You closed your eyes in anticipation of your body slamming to the steel floor, only to be caught mid-descent._

_You gasped, the smoky air burning as your lungs tried their best to adjust. Your eyes fluttered open as you gripped onto the man like a lifeline, his arms wrapped around your back for support._

_His voice was smooth and low as he spoke. “Let’s get you out of here.”_

“You lost your heart?”

You leaned against your up-righted knee, your other leg dangling off the cliff’s edge that you sat upon. The man next you had mimicked your position, but with more confidence. Unbothered, yet not quite relaxed.

Two different sides of one coin, like always.

His yellow eyes glanced over your form before returning to the castle that loomed over head. “I lost it the day this world fell, as did the others.”

Simple, to the point. You knew there was more,  _so much more_ that he was withholding, but he did not owe you an explanation. 

You were the one who was indebted here.

“Isa, I-”

He briskly cut you off, standing in one fluid motion and turning to leave. “That name is not my own. You may call me Saix.” 

Maybe it was instinct, or maybe you were simply acting foolish, but your hand quickly shot out to grab his wrist in a desperate vice. Words failed on your tongue, confusion and desperation plaguing your features as he looked over his shoulder to scrutinize your actions. Saix spoke, low and morose as he easily slipped through your hold.

“I am not the man you once new.”

With that he was gone, exiting through a swirling portal of darkness that awaited just a few feet away.

And you couldn’t help but think how cruel fate can be, especially to a man who had done his best to pull those entrapped from the clutches of that hell. After all, you had simply been one of many.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo, boy... Thanks to everyone whose read thus far!


	4. Brahma Kamal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: mentions of wounds/blood. Nothing too graphic.

“You’re hurt.”

It was a simple conclusion on your part, deduction done by the way a man who was usually so stoic actually winced in pain. You felt worry rush over you like a wave, instinct having you immediately move closer to him as you both sat upon the cliff’s edge.

The Nobody, a name you voiced your distaste for quite often, had made a habit of showing up during your security rounds. You assumed that the light conversation and view provided some sort of reprieve to him, and you had no plan to question it. The monsters he commanded no longer showed up and a fighting partner against the Heartless surely wasn’t something you were going to complain about.

“I’m fine.”

You furrowed your brows at his harsh quip, watching his hand slide off its resting place on the left side of his abdomen. You let out a scoff, standing up and brushing the dirt off of yourself before holding out a hand. “Get up.”

Saix looked up at you in a state of vexation, his voice low and slightly intimidating as he held his ground. “You do not command me.”

“Oh, it’s like you _enjoy being reckless_ , Saix.” Your tone was teasing, not affected by his off-putting demeanor. “Now come on, I can patch you up at my place.”

His face returned to the plain expression it usually carried, his nostrils flaring as he let out a heavy sigh. Completely ignoring your offered hand he stood, stumbling slightly as he summoned a dark portal with a flick of his wrist. “Where?” the man grunted.

“The Marketplace.”

You followed behind him, keeping any eye on his struggling form as you allowed the portal to swallow you whole. It felt as though you had stepped into an ocean during the winter, the harsh temperature knocking the breath right out of you. Your vision barely had time to comprehend the swirling walls of darkness in the corridor before it abruptly deposited you outside and into a familiar alleyway. Your home was just around the corner, but you waited patiently as Saix leaned against the stone wall to catch his breath.

You moved forward, the silence of the area due to early morning a relief as you stepped in front of your door. Quickly unlocking it, you stepped over the threshold and gestured for the man to step in, your foot jutting out swiftly to slam the door shut as he took a seat at the table. His eyes roamed over the abode he had entered, taking note of how everything had been jammed into the one space, the only other room being the bathroom that you had shuffled into. You continued to speak as you sifted through your medicine cabinet, pulling out the necessary supplies. 

“Take your cloak and shirt off. If it’s a gash I’m going to have to patch you up- can’t do much about bruised ribs, though.”

Another sigh and the rustling of clothing reached your ears as you snatched a Hi-Potion from underneath the sink. You gathered everything in your arms and deposited it on the table, pulling your other chair over so you sat across from the blue-haired man. You took notice of his muscular build, but also the varying scars and bruises that littered his upper half. Silence reigned over the two of you as you gently reached out to grab his wrist to shift his hand from covering his wound. He let out a hiss, yellow eyes closing in discomfort.

A gash, large and deep on his side was revealed. It was still bleeding, sending blood dripping down his abdomen and onto his pant leg. 

You let out a light gasp, eyes wide as you quickly grabbed a rag to apply pressure. Saix growled, eyes opening as he looked down at you.

“Must you do that?”

“I need to stop the bleeding, so yes.” You nodded towards the glowing green bottle on the table. “Take that potion if you can, it’ll help me out.”

He did as you instructed, face contorting in disgust at the bitter taste.

“This wasn’t a Heartless' doing, was it?”

You looked up at him, the corner of your lips falling as the only response he bothered to give was a low hum. You stopped pressuring the wound, please to find that it had halted its bleeding. Reaching for the rag you had soaked earlier with water and soap, you cleaned around it before grabbing the gauze.

He was looking at anything but you by this point, eyes fixated on the window across the way as you dressed his wound. Your mind was racing, trying to deduce what sort of tangled situation this man had gotten himself into. Losing oneself, your entire essence being rebuilt without your core, was not something you could begin to imagine. And maybe you were being foolish or naive, but you couldn’t help but blurt out what you had been trying to offer since the beginning-

“You have to know that I’m willing to help, Saix.”

You finished wrapping his wound, your hand lingering for a split second over the dressing before you pulled away. His yellow eyes roved over your face, his eyebrows scrunching up as if he was in a bewildered state, before his expression softened and he let out a scoff.

“I wouldn’t send you on a such a rotten path.”

Your eyes locked with his, voice soft and sincere when you spoke.

“It would be worth it, if it’s for you.”


	5. Tuberose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’ve felt it, haven’t you? Those feelings that seem to get so big in your chest, like something is so beautiful it aches?”
> 
> — Heather Anastasiu, Glitch

“You believe that this...Kingdom Hearts will return your heart to you?”

Yellow eyes, ones that had become such a constant now, roved over your features. You watched their owner, seated opposite of you at your kitchen table, open and close his mouth in a rare bout of hesitation. Foregoing the use of words, he simply nodded.

You sucked in a breath, leaning back in your seat and nervously biting your lip as you honed in on the steam rising from your tea. Divergent and broken, your thoughts could not comprehend how you felt on the matter. On one hand, do they not deserve the right to be whole? To  _ feel _ ?

But to bring a child into this? You had seen him wandering the Market the other day, his boyish features sending an ache in your heart as Aerith would explain the reason for his presence that night.

It felt all too familiar, the manipulation of those younger than oneself, using their generosity and light to further the execution of dangerous plots…

And for the man before you to continue to work under the remnants of a man who had done just that, to you and countless others, well-

That was the part that hurt the most.

“There is another, who I never got out.”

Saix’s voice snapped you out of your reverie, drawing you back to the conversation at hand. You watched him in slight awe, his head turned to face out your window, strong and elegant even in an uneasy environment. Night had already fallen, the pale light from Hollow Bastion’s moon shining just enough to pour into your ill-lit home and over his figure.

“Subject X.”

You remembered rumblings of that name, whispered or spoken in hurried tones as you weaved in and out of consciousness during your time in the castle.

“She was the last on my list. Broken and heavily guarded, I had to weigh my options. Subject X’s autonomy would require precision and time, neither of which I managed to gain over the years. By the time I thought I could finally complete the operation I had started, with you and the others, it was...too late. ”

He turned to face you, whatever replication of emotion his brain battled to put together hidden behind a stolid front. Your fingers tapped against your thigh, rapid and unwitting, as you tried to process what was given to you. As if sensing your unease, Saix spoke in a tone that was laced with what appeared to be remorse.

“He is the one who holds the information to close that chapter...and I must do what is necessary to get it.”

Empathy felt more like a poison in that moment. You bit down on your lip so roughly that copper began to overrun your taste buds, your eyes refusing to meet his across the way. The way he willingly worked for the man who had cracked and glued your heart back, over and over again like some toy, felt like the highest form of betrayal. And to drag that boy into it? The one who reminded you so much of yourself…?

But to only want to be human again, to fulfill a mission that his former self had started all those years ago, God-

Who the hell would you be to tell him what to do? 

You blinked back the tears that began to cloud your vision, mind still wandering as he gently rose from his seat. You quickly stood, fully intending on distracting yourself with washing the dishes as he took his leave.

He didn’t give you the chance.

The blue-haired man blocked your way, his sudden action causing your breath to hitch in your throat.

“Saix, I…”

“You still haven’t disposed of that habit, have you?”

You scrunched up your eyebrows in confusion, watching as his hand moved to gently cup your face. His skin was calloused but warm, your heart thumping loudly in your chest as you fought against the urge to lean into it with a contented sigh. 

It reminded you too much of when you were young.

His thumb gently ran over your bottom lip, wiping away the blood that had collected there as a result of your nerves. Saix’s eyes connected with yours, the two of you bathing in the moment of mutual admiration before something washed over him, breaking the moment like a wave does when it hits the shoreline.

Wordlessly, he stepped back to rinse his hands in the kitchen sink. You resorted to sitting back down, body shaking slightly as you leaned your elbows onto the table’s edge and rested your head in your palms. He threw on his cloak and gloves, waving open a portal to escape the tension that filled the air.

“Will you come back?”

Your voice was soft, cracking slightly under emotional strain. You were worried that your silence had expressed an ire that truly was not that strong, afraid that he would pick up on it and choose to stay away in an attempt to let you heal.

But you needed him, like a tuberose does the moon.

He turned around to acknowledge you.

“If that is what you wish.”

For a second, like time had broken and snapped back together in an instant, you saw his younger self, doned in that white lab coat in your previous home. And you responded to that inquiry the exact way you did back then:

“Always.”


	6. Casa Blanca Lily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A golden heart, of what became?  
> It was an awful lot for our young days  
> Is it love you want? 'Cus it's love you've made"
> 
> -Novo Amor

_His hand tightly held yours, pulling you through the maze of the castle and into the night. You heart beat rapidly in your chest, your breaths short and ragged as the blue-haired male guided you to safety._

_You were free. Your heart was finally_ **_free_ ** _._

_He stopped in front of a small home on the edge of town, sea-foam eyes narrowed suspiciously before he threw open the door and guided you inside._

_You were shivering, arms crossed in front of your chest as you looked around the darkened space. The man flicked on the light switch, giving you a better view of the basic amenities that were available._

_But you were frozen in place, emotionally stunted as you tried to take in the new environment._

_You tried to bring yourself to speak, but nothing came out. What did your voice even sound like when it wasn’t muffled by water?_

_Was any of this for real, or not?_

_“This place has been enchanted to ward off darkness- you’ll be safe here.”_

_Your saviour spoke in a soothing, low tone, the sound washing over you like silk. You nodded, still unsure of what to do. Biting your lip in worry you looked down at your hands, flexing your fingers in an attempt to reassure yourself that this wasn’t a dream._

_The young man watched patiently, moving to light the fireplace in the corner before speaking again. “Do you remember your name?”_

_You let out a slow, rattling breath, voice cracking and barely above a whisper-_

_“_____”_

_The corner of his lips titled up just the slightest, a sort of relief taking over his features._

_“You can call me Isa.”_  


 

“S-Saix?”

Your voice was shaking, fear and worry suffocating you in place. You watched as the group of Heartless you were fighting disappeared in an instant, one by one, simply from his sudden appearance.

As if they had sensed that their probability of defeat had risen significantly.

He was looking at you now, glowing with a foreign energy that had a shiver running down your spine. Instinctively, your grip on your whip tightened, heart pounding in your chest as you took a step forward.

Just a few feet between you now, and you could see that something was terribly, disturbingly, _wrong_.

Void-like and yellow, his eyes stayed trained on you like a hawk hunting its prey. A strange, purple and blue aura surrounded his form, radiating nothing short of a sinister power. His weapon was not drawn, and so you chose to dismiss yours, worried that it may cause further tension.

Another step, and you spoke again. “Saix, what’s wrong?”

He emitted an angry growl in response, the energy around him seeming to brighten-

But you did not back off.

“I can help you...”

His gloved hands curled into fists at his sides, his breath hitching in his throat as he stared you down, lip still curled in a snarl. Your heart dropped at the sight.

This- this was what darkness could do. It could taint the heart, the soul, the mind- take the strongest of them all and whittle them down to nothing but a puppet. Years and years of its influence would surely bring side effects, possession probably just being one of many.

You dared to close the distance, slowly bringing your hand up, only to have your wrist snatched in a painful vice. You bit your lip in an attempt to hold in your shocked cry.

“ **_Don’t…_ **”

The blue-haired male’s voice was deep and distorted.

He tightened his hold, seconds away from snapping the bone like a twig. You let out a cry, tears rolling down your cheeks as you begged him to let you go.

“Isa, please! _Don’t let it consume you!_ ”

And just like that, whatever spell or curse he was under broke. He immediately let go, eyes returning to normal and energy dying down as he looked at you with an expression that could only be described as horror.

“_____...”

You cradled your hand to your chest, voice still shaking as you tried to compose yourself.

“I...I’m okay. It’s okay.”

At that very moment, something within him broke- perhaps the ghost of a long lost heart, because he pulled you to him like you could fall to dust at any moment. With his arms around your waist and lips pressed upon your crown, he enveloped the both of you in a dark corridor that deposited you gently within your home.

He held you like that, for just a little longer, before you both reluctantly stepped back. His eyes connected with yours as he gently pick up your injured arm, analyzing it with a frown as he watched the skin begin to bruise.

Not broken or sprained, but surely sore for days to come.

“...It was ignorant of me to appear to you in that form- I apologize.”

You gently maneuvered your hand so that it splayed out, palm to palm, with his. You distracted yourself with the action, fingers light as they danced across his leather clad ones.

“You had been in that state for a while, hadn’t you?”

He let out a low hum, eyes now trained on your movements. “...Longer than I liked, yes.”

_He had come to you for help._

You intertwined your fingers with his, looking up at him with a mix of sorrow and want.

“Stay for dinner?”

The corner of his lips tilted up into a rare smile.

“ _Always_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read thus far- Saix is such a intriguing character, so I'm happy to be able to go a little more in-depth with his characterization! :)


	7. Brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Nothin' goes as planned  
> Everything will break  
> People say goodbye  
> In their own special way"  
> -Andrew Belle

Time.

An unavoidable, rapid part of life.

Every once in a while though, by what seems to be the grace of the universe, it will slow down. It will let you savour a moment so precious, before it inevitably picks back up again.

Months had passed, but time never did slow- you never found yourself being so enchanted by something for it to do so.

You were too wrapped up in work, putting every ounce of anger and sadness in repairing anything and everything you could find. You didn’t dare touch the castle-

 _They_ may have insisted that they were atoning for their sins, but you still remained calloused.

So you fixed and fixed, ran errands upon errands for citizens still adjusting to the change, until one day you asked what else you could do-

And Aerith squeezed your hand with some sort of pity, before looking at you with a frown.

“You’ve done everything that is left to be done, _____.”

Your voice was a broken whisper of disbelief, “ _What_ ?”

But she was right. You _knew_ she was right. Hollow Bastion had finally transitioned into Radiant Garden, every broken stone replaced, every structure remade…

The heart of your home world had finally been repaired.

“You need to rest now.”

You swallowed thickly, doing your best to keep an onslaught of emotions at bay.

“There has to be something, _anything_ … Please, Aerith.”

She hesitated for a bit, contemplating the good and bad of feeding into this abnormal mindset of yours. “There are...the outer gardens. I’ve been planting fresh flowers there, but they could always use tending to, if that’s okay?”

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding, pulling the brunette into a hug before giving her thanks and turning away to take your leave. She gently called out your name, having you stop in your tracks to look over your shoulder.

“Yes?”

Aerith lifted her hand to her heart, the bangles on her wrist clinking lightly as she did so, and spoke with such transparency that it had a shiver running down your spine.

“One day he will return to the light, _____. You must keep hope.”

You sucked in a sharp breath, nodding numbly in the place of words, and with downcast eyes took your leave.

Hope could be such a nuisance, for those who wished to forget.

 

* * *

 

He deserved nothing, he told himself-

Least of all you.

But as he stared into the bathroom mirror of his safe house, sneering at the reflection that looked back at him, he found that he only wanted one thing-

He wanted to feel one thing, _one single thing_ before he would fall to an inevitable defeat:

The beat of the heart that had begun to grow in his chest.

He could feel it, heavy and nothing but a vexing burden that had weighed him down ever since he awakened in Radiant Garden. It never beat, just… _existed_.

Saix was fully aware of how easily you could jump-start it, of how easily one measly second with you could make him feel _alive_ again. After all, you were the reason he ended up with one in the first place.

You could yell or scream or cry, and God, maybe it would make him feel nothing but hurt-

But it would be something, wouldn’t it?

 

* * *

 

He appeared to you in the Outer Gardens, bending down to your level across the garden box, and silently began assisting in picking the weeds. You didn’t look up, you didn’t _want_ to-

What would you even say?

You were so hurt, but did you have the right to be? The right to be the judge in such a convoluted situation?

His gloved fingers brushed yours, causing both of you to freeze in your movements. You sucked in a sharp breath, eyes closing for a brief moment before looking up to connect with his.

They were still as yellow as citrine, signifying what you already knew-

Darkness could be such a persistent thing.

You released the breath you were holding and returned to your task.

He spoke, gently, as he continued to aid you. “I apologize for my absence, but there is something...dire that I need to tell you.”

You remained silent, stewing in your dread as you stomach dropped at his words. Saix moved to stand, your heart beating rapidly in your chest as he carefully crossed the garden to be at your side.

“The final battle between the denizens of the light and pawns of the darkness is soon to take place and I…”

He paused, as if contemplating his words, before picking up again.

“...I cannot guarantee my return.”

 _That_ got you. You immediately halted your work, ripping your gloves off and standing so quickly it nearly made you dizzy. Your face contorted into an expression of unbridled anger and misery, voice a breathless whisper, “ _What_?”

This couldn’t be happening. _This wasn’t happening_.

You took a step towards him, resentment and betrayal rolling off of you in waves. He remained unmoving and silent, a flash of what appeared to be sorrow passing across his features.

“I have tried, for _months_ , to understand everything that you have done- why you left without a word, wondering if you had _died_. I lie awake at night, trying to convince myself that you are simply misunderstood, that you are good and _selfless_ -”

Another step, and he didn’t flinch. You could feel the hot, frustrated tears beginning to build up, waiting to break free as your voice rose in power.

“...that you have strayed onto a path that is so wrought with darkness that you can’t see how to end this any other way. But to watch, as the others came to be, only to find that you had gone back to-to that _stupid_ scheme of yours-! And to hear that you will still fight this endless war, just to...just to  _die_? I-”

You broke, an unsuppressed sob tearing from your throat. Saix moved this time, hand rising as if to wipe away your tears, but you smacked it away, only to have him take hold of your wrist. It was then that he took the time to examine you, his eyes roving over your tired features with something akin to worry. You chose not to fight his grip, instead speaking in a tone so hushed that it nearly matched the wind.

 “You have hurt so many, you must know that.”

“...And you are included in that faction?”

His voice was low, soothing even as he rubbed circles into your wrist with his thumb. You felt a shiver run down your spine, hating how easily you gave in to his touch. How, despite everything, you could feel your heart calling out to him like it always did.

But he had to know.

It was time that he knew that he had broken you like Xehanort had, but he had never bothered to rebuild you.

“... _I was the first_.”

He paused in his actions, eyes widening at your words. They froze him in place, churning something within him that you were unable to see.

You could only watch as he battled with his inner-self, tears still streaming down your face. Why would the world bring you together and tear you apart over and over again? Why was he so complacent with it, while you waited in the wings for him to realize how much you _cared_? How much you lo-

Without warning, Saix pulled you to him like you were water in a drought.

And you cried and cried, struggling weakly against his hold with feeble punches and hits to his chest.

_You hated him, you hated him, you hated…!_

But he only held you tighter, your cries turning into mere whimpers as your fight died down. Your hands came up to grasp feebly at his coat as you both fell to your knees. His gloved hands slid up your neck to cradle your face, thumbs brushing away tears as you watched grief take over a man who prided himself on his stoicity.

And you, cursing time and your own opposing wants, kissed him through your tears. Saix’s eyes widened at the sudden action, but he did not dare push you away.

His heart awakened with one beat after the other, and his hand moved to the back of your head in an attempt to deepen the kiss. You broke it off with a gasp and an endearing hiccup, while he kissed your forehead, your cheeks, your neck, all while mumbling sweet nothings and apologies as you crumbled into his arms.

He didn’t want this to end.

And you didn’t want to lose him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is most likely going to contain a good heaping of smut and sadness (like there isn't enough of that in this, haha...ha).
> 
> Chapter nine will be much for uplifting- and ten will be an epilogue of sorts.
> 
> As always, thank you all for reading. <3


	8. Cereus (Night Blooming)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "For all that it's worth now, you were worth it in the end  
> For all of your worth, I would lapse and fall again"
> 
> -Novo Amor
> 
> *Please note that this chapter is NSFW, and the appropriate tags have been added*

A shiver racked up your spine, followed by a small gasp falling from your mouth, as _his_ lips trailed along your neck. Hands, eager yet gentle, roamed under your shirt, while yours tangled themselves in azure hair.

His cloak and gloves were discarded immediately upon your arrival, his body pressing yours into the closed door as soon as he finished the task. Any tears or resentment were long gone, tossed aside as the two of you began a tryst in some feeble attempt to slow down time.

To have one night before everything would fall-

To have _one single night_ to finally break the tension that had been building for years, before the chance would disappear.

“ _I_ _sa…_ ”

Your breathless whisper of his name had him pausing in his actions, freezing in place like some sort of spell had been cast. Slowly, so slowly, he moved to look at you, hands now grasped tightly onto your waist. Yellow eyes roamed over your flushed features, drinking in the image as if to memorize it. Your hand trailed down from his scalp to his cheek, resting there as you both relished in the moment.

“...Is this what you desire?”

His low voice broke the silence, the question having your lips tilt up into an almost amused smile.

Your thumb brushed across his cheek in a soothing motion, causing him to let out a shaky breath, eyes fluttering closed for just a second before they found yours once more. A sight to behold, surely.

“Isa… I want you- _all of you_.”

Obliging your request he crashed his lips onto yours and wrapped his arms around your waist, causing a lewd moan to fall from your lips. Almost effortlessly he picked you up, your legs instinctually encircling his torso as he carried you to the edge of the bed, continuing to kiss you all the while. Your hands wandered under the soft fabric of his black t-shirt, fingertips feather light as they traced along his muscles. You could feel his mouth tilt up into a smirk against your collarbone.

“Eager now, are we?”

His tone had changed now, confident and husky as you tugged upwards on the offending clothing.

“A cereus can’t bloom without the moon.” You spoke right after he removed his shirt, eyes wandering over the scars and bruises that littered his upper-half. And he-

He laughed.

And it was _beautiful_.

The sound had you looking up at him wide-eyed, fully shocked that he had not scoffed at the playful comparison.

And you swore, God you _swore_ when he opened his eyes to look at you, the sea-foam green color that you missed so much flashed across the irises.

Before you could speak any further he swiftly began to unbutton your blouse, tossing it haphazardly off to the side. And you, not wasting any time, had your bra falling to the same fate. Now mutually half undressed, the anticipation had your stomach swirling. You swiveled a bit to fully lay on the bed now, Isa climbing over you in an instant to place kisses from your lips to your stomach, pausing halfway to pay attention to your exposed breasts.

You let out a contented sigh, hands curling in his locks and goosebumps rising from his touch. He tugged lightly on the belt loop of your pants, your hips rising to help him slide off the clothing.

A shiver racked up your spine, eyes half-lidded now as he moved to kiss you for what seemed like the hundredth time. His one hand paused at the waistline of your panties, voice ragged as he spoke-

“Should I continue?”

As if the warmth between your legs wasn’t enough of an indication, you whispered a simple _‘Please’_.

Sliding off the thin cloth, he experimentally ran a digit over your slicks folds, moving to capture your mouth with his as you were mid-moan. At an almost unbearably slow speed he inserted one finger into your entrance, while his mouth remained busy at your neck.

His thumb massaged your clit while he moved in and out of you, sending your hips bucking up in an attempt to speed things up.

He let out a breathy chuckle, the air tickling your throat before he murmured against your ear-

“Patience is a virtue, _my flower_.”

You let out an indignant huff, running your hands down through his locks to the muscles of his back, and in response he inserted another finger, building up the pace.

“I-Isa…”

You could feel yourself getting close now, nails digging into his skin as you clung to him. Just a little more-

And he stopped.

You couldn’t help the frustrated growl that escaped your throat, hands slipping off of him to fall back onto the mattress with a light ‘thud’.

He raised an amused brow at you, eyes sparkling with what almost appeared to be mischief as he pulled back to remove the rest of his clothing. With barely enough time to admire his form you could feel the tip of his hard length pressing against your entrance. His hands came up to grab both of yours, shifting them above your head, before he dropped one to hold your hips in place.

You bit your lip as he slid into you, inch by inch, the sound of a low groan from him nearly sending you over the edge right then and there.

His movements became more frenzied, lips coming down to crash on yours as he moved in and out. Lewd sounds from the both of you filled your small home, the disappearing light of the day setting an enchanting glow on the scene. And God, just thinking about how serene everything was-

How well the two of you just fit together, regardless of how absolutely messy your lives were-

Of how time, time decided to just _slow down_.

You crested with a buck of your hips and a call of his name, one of your arms breaking free from his hold to fall over of your face as he continued to ride you through your orgasm. A growl of your name and he soon followed suit, careful not to fall on top of you as he pulled out.

You could feel him fall at your side, your heart still racing and arm still slung over your face as if in embarrassment.

Gently he reached out to move it, his eyes connecting with yours before he pulled you on top of him.

Neither of you spoke, resting like that for awhile-

Your head on his chest, your eyes fluttering closed as his hand ran through your hair, and the sound of his heart…

A heart beat.

_His heart_.

You lifted your head to look up at him in awe, his eyes now opening at your sudden shift. You moved your hand to place it over his chest, fingers trembling as they felt the rhythmic pumping of the once shuttered organ.

“Y-You...I knew it...I-”

He smiled, just a bit, as he grabbed your hand to bring it to his lips.

“It is but a reactionary occurrence.”

“B-But how? Why? I don’t-”

He closed his eyes in contemplation, running his lips across your knuckles once more, before looking at you with a mix of admiration and sadness.

“...It only awakens around you.”

A sad, broken laugh was the only thing you could muster out of your storm of emotions. He wanted a heart, did he not? You wanted to ask, so desperately, why the one he had somehow managed to grow just wasn’t enough...

But instead you dropped your head back onto his chest, breath fanning out across his skin as you mumbled, “How much time do we have?”

You could feel him take a deep breath as his fingers intertwined with yours.

“Until morning.”

A sorrowful, but truthful answer.

Regardless.

The two of you didn’t waste a single moment, and when the morning did finally come, you would awaken to any empty bed.

And even as you cried and cried, you never found yourself filled with regret-

Only love.

It was only ever love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3


	9. Night Phlox

“I _knew_ it.”

Lea, with a teasing uptick of his lips, regarded his newly recompleted friend from across one of the tables at Twilight Town’s Bistro. The redhead kicked back in his seat, leaning so much so that the chair was only balanced precariously on its two back legs. “How is she doing? I was always glad that my first bout of arson was done with good intentions.”

With an exasperated sigh Isa took a sip of his drink, taking his time to mull over an answer that would satisfy the redhead-

And hurry the conversation along so he could finally get the worst part over with.

“...She is-”

But he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Stuck, like a deer in headlights, because for once he didn’t actually know the answer.

And Lea, despite his brash attitude, used his perceptive mind to pick up on it. The smile on his face faltered, brows furrowing a bit as he studied the man across from him that he had practically known his whole life.

A man who, very rarely, let any sort of emotional hindrance ever happen. Even in the lengthy, tension filled apologies the past few days held, Isa had held is own. He did not falter, he listened, even when Roxas sent him an icy glare that could send most backing out of a room.

Everything was on amends, but Lea could tell something was up.

So here they were.

“What did you do?”

Lea didn’t mean the question in a condescending way, his gentle tone making sure of that. If this was Isa’s way of asking for help, then he’d have to do some digging.

It’s not like he would outwardly ask, after all.

Isa’s grip on his glass tightened, eyes steely and focused on a random light fixture across the way. When he finally did speak, his tone was nothing short of morose.

“I found her in Hollow Bastion, completely upon accident...but the other times were...more intentional.”

Silence reigned over the two of them, a sign for him to continue.

“I had begun to grow some...shadow of a heart. It was a nuisance, a hindrance to the mission at hand, so I backed away. I did not expect to awaken after the war…”

Isa paused, glancing at Lea before focusing elsewhere again. “...So I visited one last time, and abandoned her again, just like I did all those years ago.”

“Did you tell her?”

“Of my potential fate? Of course I did, Lea. I’m not a fool.”

Said redhead let out a bark of laughter, his chair slamming back down to the ground with a ‘thud’. He took a sip of his beer, and shook his head in disbelief.

“That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it.”

“I don’t actually. Care to enlighten me?”

“You really are dense...Did you ever even bother to tell her you cared about her? Or, I dunno, _loved_ her?”

Isa looked taken aback, eyes wide and shoulders tensing. It’s not as though such an emotion hadn’t fleetingly passed him- it’s just that there were so many delicate aspects to it.

You were enrapturing to him, so much so that years of separation and broken memories had done nothing to halt this... _need_ for you. It was consuming, suffocating, even, but it was…

It was beyond his admiration for your tenacity, your entire presence, your empathetic nature.

It was beyond anything he had the capability to comprehend.

Was that...love?

“Look...maybe that was a big leap, but-”

_‘It wasn’t’_ , Isa thought. But he didn’t dare say that.

“...Xion mentioned some sort of flower festival that’s happening in Radiant Garden tomorrow...And I think you need to take a chance when it presents itself.”

Isa crossed his arms in front of his chest, a sigh flying past his lips. “I’m assuming that you were planning on dragging me along regardless of this…?”

Lea shrugged his shoulders as if to feign some sort of innocence, a grin plastered on his face.

"If I had known you were hiding your long lost teenage crush there, believe me, I would’ve made this _a lot_ more elaborate.”

Lea stood, digging in his pockets for munny to leave on the table, and gave his friend a pointed look when he slammed it down. “I don’t know exactly what you put her through, but if you care about her as much as I think you do, an apology is the least you can give her. Afterall, she did give you her heart- literally and figuratively.”

Isa cracked a teasing smile, “...When did you become so poetic, Lea?”

“Oh, _shut up_.”

 

* * *

  

You watched in awe at the decorations and crowd that had taken over the center court of Radiant Garden. The sun had nearly completed its descent, twinkling lights from the decor dancing in your vision, while the moon waited patiently for its time in the furthest part of the sky. The small businesses of the town had set up stands selling their wares- from ice cream to precious jewels, nothing seemed to be out of reach. The sound of a string quartet, children’s laughter, and the cheerful tone of residents who had, in each of their own way, been through hell and back reached your ears.

Ten years was a long time to wait for your home.

The familiar metallic sound of clanging bangles had you looking to your side. Aerith’s green eyes swept over the view before they landed on you, a smile on her lips as she clasped her hands in front of her. Her content attitude was contagious, and despite what these past few days held, you couldn’t help but smile back.

“Aerith, the arrangements are gorgeous- you did a wonderful job.”

She shook her head, braid flying a bit as she did so. “It wasn’t just me, I had a lot of help.”

You gave her an incredulous look, knowing full well how much work she had put in. Aerith giggled, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. Suddenly overcome with a bought of guilt, you returned your attention back to the crowd, eyes slightly downcast.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do much, I...I-”

“Oh, (y/n)...”

The brunette looked almost offended at your self criticism, hand reaching out to give yours a squeeze before it fell back at her side. You sighed, eyes moving along the event once more before landing back on your friend.

When you did so, you swore you saw a familiar flash of red hair in your peripherals.

_Odd_.

“I do have some advice, if you’d take it.”

You let out an almost sad laugh, “Aerith, I think at this point I should be paying you for therapy.”

She laughed too, but brighter, eyes sparkling with something akin to... _hope_? 

“Perhaps… you should get a bit of fresh air before joining the festivities? I planted some night phlox the other day in the Outer Gardens, they should be blooming soon.”

You nodded in agreement, albeit a bit slowly out of confusion. Aerith had a foreign look on her face, and despite how long you had known her, you couldn’t quite...read it. She seemed like she was holding back- biting her tongue in an effort to not let herself look-

Look _giddy?_

By the time you even came up with the courage to ask, she winked and began to make her descent into the crowd.

“Some flowers can’t bloom without the moon- you might want to hurry!”

Her words hit you like a freight train, your hand flying out in an attempt to grab her attention, while you shouted her name into the crowd. Aerith’s braid blended into the groups of people, and she was gone in an instant.

A nervousness began bubbling up in your system, a strange blend of anticipation and vexation. 

What did she mean?

What did she _mean_?

Your heart, your heart wanted to think it was… _no_.

It couldn’t be-

Desperation carried you, one foot moving in front of the other as you made your way to the outskirts of town. Your heart picked up its pace, and so did your limbs, breathes becoming ragged as you moved faster with every step.

Your own mind was cruel in this moment, memories of his voice, his touch, the beating of his own heart beneath your fingertips nearly sending you spiraling- all before you even made it to your destination. Your surroundings began to blur from unshed tears and you realized…

You realized you never grieved.

And maybe it’s because you never felt that he was truly gone. You thought you could feel it when it happened- that you would find yourself moving throughout your day when suddenly, so suddenly this gap could be felt in your heart. But, God, was this just denial?

You stumbled into the garden, the very last foray of the sun now gone.

Your moon awaited you.

“... _Isa_?”

Frozen in place, too afraid to move, you stood at the entrance. You could see his frame in the distance, azure hair stark against the descending night. With his back facing you, you could only make out that he was no longer dressed in that damn cloak.

But you didn’t dare step forward.

This was an allusion, surely- some mind-game caused by sleepless nights and unchanneled grief. Yet your heart alluded you, causing another call of his name, desperate and louder this time, to crawl from your throat.

He turned around upon your cry, his expression unreadable at such a distance.

And you waited for his form to disappear with the breeze, to dissipate into nothing like a ghost…

He didn’t.

Instead, he moved towards you, time seeming to slow as he did so. His expression became clear, and the rare smile you missed so much had you breaking down into tears.

“Isa!”

You ran to close the distance, begging the worlds and the deities of said places, for him to be _real_. Close enough now, barely able to see the world around you because of your blurred vision, you flung yourself at him in a bought of desperation.

He caught you effortlessly, wrapping his arms around you in an embrace that had you sobbing in relief. Your hand snaked up to rest on his chest, the feeling of his beating heart beneath your fingertips doing nothing to still your cries.

Isa spoke your name, slow and lovingly, as one of his hands lifted up to meet yours. He brought it to his lips, brushing your knuckles gently with them with nothing but tenderness. But you did not look up nor speak, fear keeping you in place and silent. What if this wasn’t real? What if this was all a dream?

You could feel him push your palms together, fingers tapping against yours in a gesture you often did.

“I do not expect forgiveness… but I must ask, why won’t you look up?”

His voice, baritone and beautiful, had you pressing your face further into his chest. When you spoke, it was barely above a whisper.

“...That’s not… I- I’m afraid that if I look up… If I look up that this won’t be real.”

“I can assure you this isn’t a dream.”

You could feel him entangle his fingers with yours, the action combined with his reassurance having you slowly remove yourself from him. You took a step back, your hand dropping from his, and finally looked up.

The corner of his lips were still up-ticked in a smile, his scar was still present, but less jarring, and his eyes…

His eyes were the sea-green color you hadn’t seen in years.

The crying didn’t stop, your heart so overwhelmed that you stood still for a moment, the only thing knocking you out of your stupor being his hand coming to rest on your cheek. His thumb brushed away your tears, and slowly, as if giving you enough time to pull away out of worry, he brushed his lips against your forehead-

Then each cheek, your jaw, and finally your mouth.

And you knew, your heart _knew_ , this was Isa.

You leaned back to catch your breath, a smile on your lips.

“...Y-You came back…”

At your words Isa pulled you to him, arms wrapping around your waist and lips capturing another kiss before they moved to rest near your ear. He hummed, his voice teasing when he spoke.

“What would a moon be, without its flower?”

You let out a light laugh, hands coming up to entangle themselves in his hair, and kissed your love without restraint.

And the buds of the night phlox began their florescence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue is next and then... it's done! Thank you all for your kudos and reads and comments and everything! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter <3


	10. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four months later and I'm finally able to close this story- thank you to every single one of you who has read this and given it your love.  
> Please note that this chapter starts out NSFW and ends with very mild RE: Mind spoilers (the very last section, if you'd like to skip over it).
> 
> Again, thank you!

“I-Isa...We need-”

The feeling of his lips on your inner thigh had you letting out a light gasp, fingers instinctively entangling themselves in his hair.

“...we’ll m-miss the train.”

Hands grasped tightly on your hips, he pulled you closer, looking up at you smugly. The sleepiness in his voice, combined with its usual huskiness, only had the anticipation in your gut ache further.

_ "The train can wait. _ ”

Gently, he bent both of your knees back, now fully exposing you to him so he could return to his devious ministrations. His lips began their slow trail up your thigh once more, the sound of want that flew past your lips having them form into the briefest of smiles.

Combined with the thought of last night’s blissful tryst, and Isa’s wandering hands of today’s morning, you were already aching for him to get to work.

And simplistically, he did.

At the feeling of his tongue running over your flesh, you moaned his name, hands tightening their hold on his hair. Seemingly serving as encouragement to continue, those two actions had him absolutely devouring you. Your thighs trembled as he worked from your entrance to your clit, his strong hold the only thing keeping them apart.

You gasped, hands moving from his hair to grasp onto the sheets, your hips jolting at his touch.

You would come undone at this rate.

Just being able to wake up to him every morning, to feel his heart beating underneath your palm, or being able to observe him do such simple, daily things after all that had happened-

You whimpered, toes curling as you nearly reached your peak.

You had found your missing piece in this life, and you were relishing in it.

“Isa…!”

With a cry of his name you came on his tongue, your arm slinging over your eyes as it often did as you attempted to calm your heart rate.

And Isa moved to gently pull it away, bright eyes shining with nothing but satisfaction at your drained state. Slowly, you reached up to tuck his hair behind his ear, hand cupping his cheek as your eyes roamed over his features.

The way he looked in the morning light was almost unreal.

His hand came up to take yours, his lips running across your knuckles.

You smiled at the gesture, your voice nearly breathless when you spoke. “...I suppose we should get ready, huh?”

He scoffed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. The sight of his bare body nearly had you leaping up to pull him back-

But the two of you had an obligation to get to.

Isa looked over at you, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “...We did make a promise.”

 

* * *

 

Twilight Town had become nothing short of a haven for him. This quiet, unassuming world that served as the opposite to the barren, skyscraper filled land he had resided upon for years. It served as a welcomed respite from the dark memories laced within Radiant Garden, as well-

And you had agreed.

His attention turned from the sunset filled sky outside to you, your head gently resting on his shoulder as you slept, undisturbed by the rocking of the empty train car. You, the one who had enraptured the younger version of himself so much so that he had put his life in danger without question.

You, the one who reminded him what it was like to be human. The one who reminded him that a heart was worth the risk, that it was worth the sacrifice of the stone-cold visage he had built up to protect himself. 

_ “I love you.” _

Those three words had spilled from your lips while you watched him cook a few days prior, the research documents gifted by Even scattered on the table before you suddenly forgotten. He remembered how he stiffened, the sizzling food in the pan quieting down as he slowly moved to cut off the gas. He exhaled, slowly, before crossing the room to stand before you, eyes softened.

Your expression had twisted into something forlorn, as though you felt remorse for letting the truth slip off of your tongue.

“I-Isa, you don’t have to-”

His hand moved to cradle your cheek, knees bending slightly so he could place a kiss upon your forehead. 

_ “I love you, too.” _

Living without the burden of emotions for years, to have them so suddenly was nearly overwhelming. He would toss and turn at night, trying to process what he had felt that day and what exactly it  _ was _ . And you would always, without fail, turn to him with sleepy eyes and ask-

_ ‘What are you feeling?’ _

There were times when he didn’t quite know, but as he returned to cater to dinner, as his eyes caught the smile that stayed on your lips as you delved back into your research, he knew what he felt in that moment was love. 

The train rumbled on, the only thing waking you from your slumber being Isa’s hand moving to hold yours. You stirred awake, eyes blinking before they looked up to connect with his, the action of your lips curling up having his heart skip a beat.

“Almost there, huh?”

Isa nodded, his thumb gently caressing your knuckles. 

Slowly the train began to come to a halt, the view outside the windows now turning into the town’s expansive station. Travelling between the two boroughs had become a common occurrence now, what with Lea and the teenagers placed closer to the world’s center. Finding a place that was big enough to hold you all, and your consistent visitors, was nearly impossible, but today’s time would be spent fixing that.

A promise.

 

* * *

 

“Anybody home?”

You stepped carefully through the large wooden doors, voice echoing off of the near empty entryway of the mansion. Isa hovered behind you, a silent, but protective presence.

“Yo- over here!” 

A flash of bright red hair to your left, and you spotted Lea’s upper half sticking out of one of the doorways, hand waving wildly in the air. Upon closer inspection, light yellow splatters of paint adorned his form, a clear clue of what today’s task would be. Barely discernible, the sound of Isa mumbling a defeated _'_ _ oh, joy’ _   had your hand flying up to unsuccessfully cover up a laugh. 

Clearly aware of his friend’s attitude, Lea fully stepped out, his free hand on his hip while the other held a paint brush. His green eyes shone with a teasing mirth, a smirk on his lips. “You know, Isa… I take it back,  _ she _ can live here…”

He pointed to the main door, eyebrows arched. “ _ You _ can sleep in the sandlot.”

“Axel, don’t be mean…”

The gentle voice of Xion filtered into the space, her presence having a smile take over your features. Roxas wasn’t too far behind, his smile far more reserved, but still there. A fondness bloomed in your chest-

You had been introduced to the trio soon after your reconciliation with Isa, and as each day passed you learned, and truly cared more about them.

Lea, or on occasion Axel, did in fact start the fire that had set you free all those years ago. His personality was the near opposite of the man next to you, and his weak spot happened to be the two keyblade wielders next to  _ him _ . That, and he had an affinity for sleeping, well, all the time.

Roxas longed for normalcy, and any event that involved simple pleasures, like sharing ice cream on the tower, is the key to getting him to open up. Though mostly reserved, he did have comebacks at the ready, and was nothing short of protective to those around him. Isa and him had yet to get on solid ground, but they were trying, and you encouraged it at every turn.

Xion was shy, but was nothing but kind. She had been through nothing but hell and back, but she was a force to be reckoned with. Afterall, she had the ability to lift Isa’s claymore like it was nothing, and had copied your whip during training the other day, much to your delight. Isa’s guilt was often hidden, but when he looked at her, it became quite visible.

Regardless.

You moved quickly, running to envelope them both in a hug as Lea looked on in mock offense. 

“Oh, so no love for the one who helped save your life?”

“... _ Absolutely not _ .” 

Isa’s voice, though a playful sneer, had the red-head raising his hands in mock defense. You laughed, releasing the two teens and moving to enter the kitchen. “You know, the quicker we get this done, the quicker we can get ice cream...”

Roxas’ blue eyes flashed from Isa to Lea, eyebrows raised-

“I guess we’ll never get ice cream, then.”

Another laugh escaped you, Xion and Roxas trailing behind as you moved, leaving the two speechless men in the foyer.

And as you all got to work and the day passed, as Isa moved to gently rub paint off of your cheek with his thumb, as you watched Lea give a victory cry when he used his powers to get the gas stove back into gear, and as Xion and Roxas hung the photo of the five of you on the fridge, you were overcome with emotion.

This was unbridled joy, love, and the long awaited calm after the storm.

 

* * *

 

Isa stared at the computer screen before him, the outline of Sora to his left, and Subject X on his right. He heard nothing but the occasional ‘ _ beeps _ ’ of the system, the sound of his fingers connecting with the keyboard, and the often frustrated release of air that flew out of his nostrils. 

He felt as though he had dived into an endless sea- there had to be footing, surely, but for now he was left floating, waiting for direction.

They all were.

It was no doubt late into the night now, the passing of time solidified by the exhaustion that had begun to creep into the side of his vision. The sound of Cid’s icon in the corner logging off jolted him from his thoughts, and he noticed that Zexion’s too, had disappeared some time ago.

“... _ Isa?" _

He slowly turned to look behind him, the tension in his shoulders and his pensive expression melting away into something softer.

“Isa why don’t you get some sleep? I can take over.”

He didn’t realize that he had delved into some sort of daze, finding himself enraptured enough by you that it took a few beats of silence before he could formulate his thoughts properly. “...You offer that as if you have been sleeping these past few hours.”

You raised your brows at that, fiddling nervously with the bracelet that now rarely left your wrist. Isa watched you go from one charm to the next-

A sun for Lea.

A forget-me-not for Xion.

A recusant’s sigil for Roxas.

And a crescent moon for him.

He watched you drop your hold, a sigh escaping you as your one hand came to rest upon your hip. “You really can read me like a book, can’t you?”

Isa stood, his lips tilting up into a small smile as he approached you. Humming, his hand coming up to gently cradle your cheek.

“Hm…it is one of my favorite novels.”

He placed a kiss upon your crown, then your lips, taking note of the pink that had lightly dusted your cheeks.

“Shall we get to bed, my flower?”

You nodded, entangling your fingers with his as he led you up the stairs. Wordlessly, his hand squeezed yours once, then twice, and you repeated the action back-

A tactic that assured both of you that you were  _ here _ and  _ fine _ .

And though a long and winding journey lay ahead, and heartache littered the road behind, Isa knew that you were always the one to carry his love-

And he shall always be the one to carry yours.


End file.
